Which Summer Camp?
Parent Q&A
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ISO summer camp recs for a quiet nonbinary 6yo
–Mar 29, 2025we're looking for camps for this summer for my 6yo (rising first grader). last year we did a week of wildcat canyon community school; we'll probably do more this year, but especially since they're only doing july at the moment, we're expanding our search. they like arts & crafts, imaginative play (esp fantasy—magic, unicorns, dragons, fairies), and nature time. we're in north oakland but can be at least a little flexible about location within the east bay. kind/empathetic staff who are comfortable with using their pronouns definitely a pro.
Mar 29, 2025Summer Camp Recommendations for Cooking/Drawing/Music
–Jan 11, 2025We have a 10 year old with ADHD. He's interested in a lot of hobbies and we want to provide him guided summer camps that are fun, inspiring and educational yet also with the appropriate amount of oversight.
We would love to hear recommendations and any feedback on your experience with summer camps you recommend.
- Cooking class (week long)
- Drawing and storyboarding class (week long)
- Music Jam session group (week long)
Thanks!
Jan 11, 2025Best Summer Camps for 5-7 year olds???
–Jan 16, 2024We just moved to Oakland from SF and we are looking for summer camps for our 5 and 7 year old kids. And it's daunting!! Our kids are very curious and love to be active. In the past we've put them in gymnastics camp, cooking camp, theater, forest camp, sports camps etc. They love adventure, and they love to learn. We would love to get them enrolled in a camp where they can learn some skills (i.e. sports, cooking, swimming, dance, theater, etc.), and that is also very fun and engaging for them. Basically a very well programmed and run camp with an element of cool enrichment activities. Please recommend any camps that your kids loved at that age that you would highly recommend. Thank you!!
Jan 16, 2024I have found that most summer camps are not a good fit for my child, who is a high anxiety, high functioning autistic kiddo.
They do not like camps that are very loud or overenthusiastic - too overstimulating and overwhelming. They can have some structure, but do not love a highly structured camp - they love free play, nature, arts and crafts, and creativity. They do not like sports. They love math and science but not in a structured environment.
I know it's early to be thinking about camps for next summer, but maybe people have some recommendations fresh on their minds from this past summer? We are looking for mid-late elementary age (~8-10), and ideally in Berkeley or Oakland. Thank you!
Sep 8, 2023Summer camp for both kids 4.5 and 10
–Feb 1, 2023Our family is moving to Berkeley from Washington DC this summer and are exploring summer camp options for our two kids - age 4.5 (will be entering TK in fall) and 10 (will be entering 5th grade in fall). We are specifically looking for camps in July (7/10 - 28 is when we need coverage), and for our younger daughter since programs for her age are more limited. We would love something fun and outdoors that allows them to get to know kids in the area since they will be new. Would love to know what people recommend and if people know of camps that still have availability. Thank you!
Feb 1, 2023Summer camp near Napa / Vallejo
–Jan 7, 2023We are looking for a great summer camp in Napa or Valljeo for a 6th grade girl. Her interests include music, dancing, reading, cooking, and swimming, but we are open to suggestions for any camp with a good reputation for making kids feel welcome and included.
Jan 7, 2023Roughing It Day Camp vs. Adventure Day Camp
–Dec 29, 2022Hello,
I'm wondering if anyone has experience with both Roughing It Day Camp and Adventure Day Camp in the east bay and can compare the two camps and provide pros/cons. We're considering both for our daughter who will be in 1st grade next fall. Thanks!
Dec 29, 2022Summer camps: Doodle vs. Galileo vs. EDMO?
–Jan 12, 2022I have 2 6-year old boys (entering 1st in the fall). I'm looking around at the different "maker"-types of summer camps. Does anyone have any experience and/or recommendations between these three: Doodle vs. Galileo vs. EDMO? Is there any other that I'm missing that I should also be considering?? Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Jan 12, 2022Any summer camps still have openings for a 3rd grader?
–May 21, 2021Does anyone know of any summer camps that still have openings for a rising 3rd grader? We are looking for the last two weeks in July and can't find anything (except Berkeley Day Camp which our child very much did not like). Any tips would be appreciated!
May 21, 2021Camps for 10yo near North Berkeley BART/ Westbrae?
–Apr 15, 2021We've just moved near North Berkeley BART/Westbrae, and are looking for a nearby summer camp for our 10yo daughter so that she can meet neighborhood kids. Any suggestions?
Apr 15, 2021Outdoor summer camp recommendations
–Mar 22, 2021I'm looking for recommendations for summer camps that are all outdoors. Trackers is full and Sarah's Science has gone bankrupt so I'm looking at other options. A few I'm considering are Kids for the Bay, Sees the Day, Hello Hills, and Cal Explorers. I can't tell if Cal Explorers is all outside from the website, or really what they do all day, but the price point is appealing! I'm also interested in learning about their COVID protocols if anyone sent their kids to any of these camps last summer. Thanks!
Mar 22, 2021Summer Camps for 6 & 8 YO without the filler
–Dec 5, 2019I know I'm way too early to really ask about summer camps for 2020 but we had a pretty uneven to poor experience this year so I thought I'd try to put some better thought into this. Based on the feedback I got from my two boys, ages 6 and 8, I think they really were turned off by the camps that had a lot of transition and waiting time. So for example, one camp I thought they would love, had lots of different sports to try, typically switching every 45 minutes or so. But they said that a large portion of the day was spent transitioning from activity to activity. Even worse was that many (all?) of the activities, the kids had to wait in line to actually do anything. I happened to see their basketball segment and it consisted of two lines of kids, waiting to take a free throw. Super lame. My guess is that they actually spent 10% of their time participating in the actual activity. But I do see the value of the camp because it runs all day and was pretty affordable, so it's like childcare with structured activities. But this is probably the opposite of what I'm looking for, except the affordable part. Now on the other hand, the camp they loved wasn't a camp at all. It was a carpentry class that was a couple of hours each day. Each kid got to work on their own project at their own pace the entire time. Almost zero wasted time. After a snack I'd take them to a park and they could play on their own. So I think I'm looking for:
- Not crazy expensive
- Staffed by a topic expert able to deal with kids
- One to two hours of high quality experience or instruction, no filler (don't need it to be childcare)
- Minimal transitions, minimal waiting
- Preference for sports and outdoors
- In or near Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda
Dec 5, 2019Camp for rising 1st & 3rd graders together
–Jan 7, 2019Hi BPN! This summer, my daughters will be 6 and 8 years old (rising 1st and 3rd graders) and would like to attend camp together. My older daughter in particular is really slow to warm up to new situations, so having her younger sister in the camp with her would be great. (Many appear to accommodate multiple ages but tend to split K-2 / 3-5 for the activities.) They like sports (especially swimming), art, dance/music, but mostly a warm, caring environment. We're Oakland-based but open to Berkeley as well. Any recommendations to share? The Aurora Creators & Explorers camp looks great -- open to others as well. Thanks in advance!
Jan 7, 2019
I am not aware of anything myself, but good for him and for you to help him learn more! I'd try reaching out to the local union(s) of the trades he might be most intrigued by at this point. They might be aware of/teachers for some one-off type camps or summer sessions.
A couple of recommendations!
Camp Indigo (https://www.thecampindigo.org/) is a camp in north Oakland (at Cleveland Elementary on the east side of the lake) that is explicitly for trans & nonbinary kids, and completely run by trans & nonbinary staff. Going to the camp was transformational for my then shy, quiet rising kindergartner, and she’s gone back every year since (going to be a rising 4th grader this summer). I’d describe as old school camp fun (crafts, physical games, singalongs) with a ton of queer joy. There also parent sessions after drop-off & before pick-up that can be great to learn more to better support your kid on wherever their gender journey ends up being.
Walden Center & School (https://waldencenterschool.org/childcare/summer-camp/)runs a very chill summer camp (again, mostly old school camp fun) in central Berkeley. Some (maybe the majority) of their staff are non-binary, and they’re great with pronouns. The school philosophy is very similar to Wildcat, so you’ll probably enjoy it if you enjoyed Wildcat.
Monkey Business! Lots of crafts, imaginative play, and superb staff with many counselors returning each year. Thoughtful approach towards framing the day (important for my kid who can be easily overwhelmed) and building community. Some campers are gender expansive and the camp asks for preferred pronouns on their registration forms.
My nonbinary kid has been going to Camp Indigo for 5 years and loves it. It's for trans/nonbinary/gender fluid kids, but it's not about processing these identities. It's a pretty traditional summer camp (arts and crafts, water games, songs and skits, etc.) where these kids can just BE together. They do have morning and afternoon caregiver sessions if that's something you're interested but not required by any means (I've only ever been to one). The folks that run it are awesome, and it's just a great place. Here's the link if you're interested: https://www.thecampindigo.org
My trans niece had a great time last year at Camp Indigo - it’s a camp in Oakland for trans and nonbinary kids. The staff are trans and nonbinary, and they also do a bunch of education and community building for the parents. I think it’s invaluable to be able to give my niece the community and role models she found at Camp Indigo.
Hello,
My 2 kids 11 and 15 have both attended Camp indigo hosted at Cleveland Elementary. My 11 yr. Old will attend this summer for 3 weeks because they love it so much. It is a safe and nurturing environment.
I would definitely check out Heartful Kids Summer Camp in Oakland (weareheartfulkids.com). It's an interdisciplinary arts camp with an emphasis on visual arts. Our family friend's daughter had a lot of fun in their program last summer as a rising first grader. She's going back this year along with my nieces. The staff is great; kind, experienced, and welcoming of gender expansive youth. Their enrollment process asks about pronouns and provides the opportunity to share about any additional access needs. I hope that helps!